The cell phone has become a ubiquitous personal accessory. It fulfills the need not only for communication, but also performs an ever-increasing number of functions that make life more efficient and enjoyable. New cell phone applications, with ever expanding functionality, are being rapidly developed, thus adding to the dominance of the cell phone in modern electronic life.
It is now possible for cell phones to provide extensive functionality in a very small form factor that is convenient to carry. Yet the miniaturization of cell phones necessitates that the display screen also be small, even if the display is designed to occupy the entire front of the cell phone. Entire documents or spreadsheets may need to be read on this small screen. For some people the text, icons and images of the screen, as well as any buttons on the device, may be difficult to see clearly. Especially as the population is aging, presbyopia (the loss of the ability to clearly see close objects) is increasing, which results in more cell phone users needing to locate their reading glasses to use the phone effectively. Often there is pressure to retrieve the glasses quickly, such as to determine the identity of the caller or answer the phone while ringing.
Currently many cell phone users store their cell phones and eyeglasses in separate cases within a bag, purse or briefcase. Significant inconvenience and annoyance may ensue as a user rummages through his or her bag attempting to quickly locate both separate cases, struggling to hurriedly open both cases, and then endeavoring to disengage both the cell phone and the eyeglasses from their individual cases within a short time period.
Other cell phone users opt to use a multipurpose bag with numerous compartments to store the cell phone along with other small electronic devices or personal items. Such multi-purpose bags are disclosed in several patents and patent applications, such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,293,635 issued to Repke, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,467,695 and 7,503,440 to Gormick, U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,518 to Chao, U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,029 to Motson, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0194267 to Lam, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0029754. While some of the various general compartments are suitable for holding a cell phone and eyeglasses, the generic compartments do not lend themselves to quick and easy access. Many multi-purpose bags are also encumbered with shoulder straps, flaps with closures, zippers, snaps or other encumbrances that restrict or interfere with quick retrieval of the phone and glasses. Nor are the multi-purpose bags simple and uncomplicated to construct. None provide a streamlined case allowing a user to quickly access both the eyeglasses and phone, permitting a user to conveniently store the compact case, and enabling efficient manufacture.
Additionally available are eyeglass cases or phone cases that include compartments suitable for storing other personal items of various types. Such cases are disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0173268 to Boyette U.S. Design Pat. No. D548959 to McClain, U.S. Design Pat. No. D379262 to Siegel, U.S. Pat. No. 6,424,823 to Moles, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0113306 to Paci and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0010575 by Sanka. While these disclose the concurrent storage of eyeglasses or phones with other items from mirrors to calculators, none of these successfully present a dedicated, compact storage for a pair of glasses and a phone, while allowing quick, easy and efficient access to both.
Patents for a wide variety of bags and cases are available in this crowded field of art. Each bag is designed to meet a particular need. For example, the mail bag of U.S. Pat. No. 746,013 to Burton presents a mail bag with many transverse pockets (each designed to hold the mail of a single individual) that can be folded onto themselves and rolled into a bag. While this bag and others in this crowded field are satisfactory for their intended purpose, they are not satisfactory for storing a cell phone alongside eyeglasses in a very compact dedicated case that is easy to stow away within a crowded purse or briefcase.
Another bag is presented by Blackman in U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,401 for an “Article Holder and Carrier.” This holder and carrier has an assortment of pockets for holding a variety of articles of varying sizes and shapes, which can be folded into a carrier. Though this holder and carrier may fit the need of a student to carry pencils, glue, scissors, paper and other schools supplies, it is not suitable for containing eyeglasses with a cell phone. Its numerous pockets and structures involved with its self-folding and carrying abilities cause the Blackman holder to be bulky and to take time to open to retrieve items. When receiving an incoming phone call, it may be difficult to extract both a cell phone and a pair of glasses stored within the Blackman bag before the call ends or is routed to voice mail.
Accordingly, though a diverse array of cases are available that can potentially hold a cell phone and a pair of eyeglasses, the available cases do not meet the need for a compact, efficiently usable case dedicated to storing a mobile phone and conveniently located eyeglasses, while providing quick and easy retrieval of both items.